Aldi has re-entered the war of the Christmas ads with a cheeky take on the John Lewis Man on the Moon tearjerker.

Jean Jones, the pensioner with a penchant for Aldi gin who first appeared on screens in 2011, returns as the "Christmas friend" to cheer up a lonely old man on the moon who bears a striking resemblance to the star of the John Lewis ad.

The ad opens with the gentleman comparing the price of telescopes at John Lewis and Aldi, before he is cheered even more by the sight of Jean flying across the sky in an armchair held aloft by a bunch of balloons.

Jonathan Neale, joint managing director of corporate buying at Aldi, said: "Jean quickly became a national treasure for her love of our Oliver Cromwell London Dry Gin when she first appeared on screens in 2011.

"We're confident our customers will be excited by her return this Christmas."

The full two-minute John Lewis ad, featuring the story of a young girl named Lily striking up a connection with an elderly man living alone on the moon, had been watched around 5.9 million times within the first 24 hours of it appearing on YouTube earlier this month.

Aldi's offering, which is set to My Favourite Things from The Sound Of Music - recorded by up-and-coming British artist Jade Williams, was watched just under 7,000 times in the 14 hours after it was uploaded.